Name |
BECK, Balthaser Heinrich |
Birth |
1748 |
Hanau Am Main, Hessen, Germany |
Gender |
Male |
Biography |
- BIOGRAPHY: Henry Beck, the son of Johann Thomas Beck, was born in the Duchy of Hanau about the year 1748, and was four years of age when he came to Pennsylvania with his mother. He grew up in Berks county, and in the year 1775 married Margaret Wolfgang. Like almost all the Pennsylvania Germans, he was engaged in farming, which he varied occasionally by superintending the wood-cutting for one of the local furnaces. The Revolutionary war came on shortly after his marriage. In the militia companies which were formed from time to time for short terms as the war progressed, and were composed chiefly of the farming population who attended to their farms in the summer and went into the army in the winter, he went out three different times, first as orderly sergeant and subsequently as lieutenant, and was in one of the commands that failed to cross the Delaware at the time when Washington captured the Hessians at Trenton. He remained upon his farm in Berks county until his removal to a farm near Pottsgrove, in Northumberland county, Penn., where he died in the year 1824. Both he and his wife Margaret are buried in the old Lutheran graveyard at Milton, Pennsylvania.
Henry Beck, by his wife, Margaret, had seven children, all of whom were born and reared in Berks county, on their father's farm. They were Henry, George, Thomas, Sophia, Elizabeth, Mary and Catharine. Henry Beck, the eldest son, was born July 10, 1776, and was married to Hannah Ludwig, of Berks county. George Beck was married to Mary Greiner, and had the following children: William, Susan, Jeremiah, Henry and Mary Ann; he remained in Berks county until his death in May, 1854; his son, Henry Beck, with his family, resides at the present time at Pottstown, Berks county. Thomas Beck removed to Fayette, Seneca county, N. Y., where he resided until his death. Sophia married William Gross. Elizabeth married David Kaufman, who settled in Union county, Penn. Mary married Stephen Glaze, who settled in the northern end of Northumberland county, Penn. Catharine married John Hill, and resided upon the homestead near Pottsgrove until her death.
After his marriage, Henry Beck (the first son) settled upon a farm in Earl township, Berks county, where he followed farming and tanning. In the year 1813 he removed with his family to a farm adjoining (and now a part of) Lewisburg, Union Co., Penn., which place he had previously visited with a view to settlement. Here he built a new tannery, which he carried on in connection with his farm. The large brick house at the upper end of Second street in Lewisburg was built by him in 1823, and was occupied by him and his family. By his wife, Hannah, he had six children, one of whom, named Daniel, died in infancy. The others were Samuel L. Beck, born April 6, 1802; Rebecca L., born November 30, 1807; Isaac L., born May 5, 1811, died May 20, 1856; Mary Ann, born October 19, 1815; Lydia L., born April 12, 1818. Hannah Beck died November 19, 1839, aged fifty-seven years. Henry Beck died January 2, 1846, aged sixty-nine years. Both are buried in the cemetery at Lewisburg, Penn. Henry Beck was a member of the Lutheran Church at Lewisburg, while his wife, Hannah, belonged to the German Reformed Church. He took an active part in town affairs, and in politics was a Democrat.
|
Immigration (d) |
22 Nov 1752 |
United States |
Germany |
- He left from the port of Rotterdam on the ship Phoenix.
|
Residence |
From 1775 to 1812 |
Earl Township, Berks, Pennsylvania, United States |
on a farm in |
Census (desc) |
1790 |
Earl Township, Berks, Pennsylvania, United States |
Census (desc) |
1810 |
Earl Township, Berks, Pennsylvania, United States |
Moved |
1815 |
East Chillisquaque Township, Northumberland, Pennsylvania, United States |
Purchased |
22 Apr 1815 |
East Chillisquaque Township, Northumberland, Pennsylvania, United States |
17 acres and 98 perches of land from Joseph Haugenbauch |
Purchased |
20 Jul 1816 |
East Chillisquaque Township, Northumberland, Pennsylvania, United States |
3 acres and 154 perches of land from Henry Robison |
Will |
9 Nov 1818 |
Northumberland, Pennsylvania, United States |
- LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF HENRY BECK
Executed: 9 November 1818 Recorded: 30 March 1824
In the Name of God amen.
I Henry BECK of Chillisquaque, in the County of Northumberland, being in perfect health and sound in mind, memory and understanding (thanks be to the Almighty God for the same) being mindful of my mortality, do make and constitute this my last will and testament.
First and principally I recommend my immortal spirit to God who gave it, in hopes of a joyful resurrection, and my body to the earth (when it shall please God to separate my soul and body) to be buried decently at the discretion of my Executors, according to the rites of my church. And as to such worldly estate, wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me, I give and dispose thereof as follows:
ITEM It is my will, and I do order and direct that all my estate, real and personal, being in Chillisquaque Township and in Northumberland County, shall immediately after my decease, be sold by my Executors, and from the proceeds thereof, all my just debts and funeral expenses paid, Preserving for my dear and beloved wife Mary, the house wherein I now reside, together with as much of the personal property as she may desire for her own conveniency during her natural life, if she should happen to survive me. It being at her will and pleasure to keep said house, or deliver it up to my Executors to be sold with my Real Estate. Also to my dear and beloved wife Margaret I leave and bequeath Thirty pounds of lawful money of this state, year and yearly during her natural life and whatever more might be a wanting to make her comfortable. It is also my will, and I do order and direct that my stock of ready money from notes and bonds together with the proceeds of my estate, real and personal, be put to interest, and the whole remain undivided until after the decease of my wife Margaret; as that period of time.
First I leave and bequeath to my oldest son Henry BECK Five pounds in money of the State of Pennsylvania and forever after my said son Henry is debarred of any other share of my property, real or personal. To my second son George BECK I bequeath 100 Pounds currency. To my third son Thomas BECK I bequeath 100 Pounds. To my oldest daughter Sophia GROSS I bequeath 100 Pounds. To my second daughter Mary GLAZE I bequeath 100 Pounds. To my third daughter Betsy COFFMAN I bequeath 100 Pounds. To my fourth daughter Katherine HILL I bequeath 100 Pounds.
It is further my will and desire, that if after these bequeaths are paid off, that the residue thereof remaining (if any) be equally divided between my sons George and Thomas and daughters Sophia, Mary, Betsy and Katherine.
I do further nominate and appoint my Son Thomas BECK and my son-in-law Stephen GLAZE, both of Turbot Township, to be my Executors to this my last will and testament.
I publish and declare this to be my last will and testament.
In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal the Ninth Day of November in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Eighteen. (1818)
Signed and sealed in the presence of
Johannes HASS
Thomas PARRY
Northumberland County
Know all men by these presents that we Thomas BECK and Stephen GLAZE do hereby renounce all right to the executorship of the estate of Henry BECK, late of Chillisquaque Township in said County, deceased, and do hereby utterly and altogether refuse to execute all or any of the trust contained in the last will and testament of the said Henry BECK, deceased, and do hereby request the Register of the County aforesaid to grant Letters of Administration, with the will annexed, to some suitable and competent person. Witness our hands and seals the Thirtieth Day of March A.D. 1824.
Sworn and subscribed before
S. J. PACKER
Deputy Register
To the Register of Northumberland County:
Sir:
As Stephen GLAZE one of the Executors of my late husband and Thomas BECK have renounced acting as Executors and as the offer to supply said vacancy would be offered to me and being myself old and infirm and not able to undertake the task I do hereby decline of said administration but do appoint Jacob RHOADS to be appointed in my place and stead given under my hand and seal this 17th Day of April 1824.
Witness present:
Daniel FOLLMER
Northumberland County
Be it remembered that on the 30th Day of March A.D. 1824 before me Samuel J. PACKER, Deputy Register of said County, personally appeared John HASS and Thomas PARRY the two subscribing witnesses to the within will, and being duly sworn according to law did depose and say that they were personally present and did see Henry BECK the testator sign (By making his mark) publish and declare the same as and for his last. will and testament, that they witnessed the same at the request of and in the presence of said testator, that at the time of so doing he the testator was of sound mind and disposing memory, as witnesses do believe and further saith not.
Sworn and subscribed the day and year above mentioned.
S. J. PACKER
Deputy Register
|
Census (desc) |
1820 |
Chillisquaque Township, Northumberland, Pennsylvania, United States [3] |
Address: Potts Grove |
- Only Henry and his wife Margaret appear on this census record.
|
Widowed |
20 Dec 1820 |
Death |
Mar 1824 |
Chillisquaque Township, Northumberland, Pennsylvania, United States |
Will |
30 Mar 1824 |
Northumberland, Pennsylvania, United States |
Address: proved |
_COLOR |
8 |
_UID |
222A6484ADE131438721325137443F7C9750 |
Burial |
Milton, Northumberland, Pennsylvania, United States |
Address: Old Lutheran Cemetery |
- The people buried here were reinterred in Harmony Cemetery.
|
Person ID |
I162 |
Our Ancestry |
Last Modified |
19 Feb 2023 |
Family |
WOLFGANG, Anna Margaret, b. 29 Sep 1750, Emmaus, Lehigh, Pennsylvania, United States d. 20 Dec 1820, Chillisquaque Township, Northumberland, Pennsylvania, United States (Age 70 years) |
Marriage |
27 Dec 1774 |
- Henry Beck married Margaret Wolfgang
27 December 1774
New Hanover, Montgomery, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania,Marriage Records, 1700-1821
|
Children |
| 1. BECK, Sophia, b. 26 Feb 1775, Berks, Pennsylvania, United States d. Yes, date unknown |
+ | 2. BECK, Henry, b. 10 Jul 1776, Berks, Pennsylvania, United States d. 2 Jan 1846 (Age 69 years) |
+ | 3. BECK, George, b. 1779, Berks, Pennsylvania, United States d. 1854, Berks, Pennsylvania, United States (Age 75 years) |
+ | 4. BECK, Maria, b. 16 Oct 1781, Berks, Pennsylvania, United States d. Yes, date unknown |
| 5. BECK, Elizabeth, b. 14 Jan 1784, Berks, Pennsylvania, United States d. 1 Nov 1862 (Age 78 years) |
+ | 6. BECK, Catharina Susan, b. 1789, Berks, Pennsylvania, United States d. 1859 (Age 70 years) |
| 7. BECK, Thomas, b. 1793, Berks, Pennsylvania, United States d. 1879, Seneca, New York, United States (Age 86 years) |
|
Family ID |
F66 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
Last Modified |
12 Feb 2024 |